Thomas Maier

For those of you who are actually planning to go to a resort next winter.

Lately, we've been hearing about buzzy younger designers getting investments from big French luxury conglomerates. Kering's latest investment, however, is in an older, more quietly established designer: Tomas Maier, who is also the creative director of Kering-owned ready-to-wear and accessories label Bottega Veneta.

Dear Mr. Maier, I stayed up way too late last night reading an article on you in the new Vogue UK. You came across differently than most designers.